Phillip McConnell (1947- ) is the son of the potter Carl McConnell (1926-2003). He was born in California but came to Australia as an infant when his family returned to Brisbane in 1948. After studying for a time at the Central Technical College, he took up an apprenticeship with his father at the Pinjarra Pottery. In 1968 he was drafted while visiting Hawaii and spent two years in the US army. Back in Australia, he held his first solo exhibition in 1972 and was invited by Tatsuzo Shimoaka, then visiting Australia, to work with him in Mashiko, Japan. While in Japan, he spent six months at the Fujiwara pottery in Bizen. Returning to Australia in 1974, he established 'The Pottri' near Toowoomba in 1975. In 1984, he gave up pottery after receiving an inheritance, but opened another pottery in Noosa in 1992, then reopened his Toowoomba pottery in 1994, and continued making pots until 2003. In 2006 he retired to Tasmania. His early works are impressed 'Pm' and may also have the Pinjarra Pottery seal. Later works are impressed 'PM' with a dot on the left and/or The Pottri mark - three apostrophes in a circle, sometimes with Australia underneath.